Overnight Closure Scheduled on Pa. Turnpike between Harrisburg East and Harrisburg West April 28

Six-hour closure needed to accommodate bridge work at milepost 243 in York County.

A five-mile section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike will be closed in both directions between the Harrisburg East Interchange (#247) and the Harrisburg West Interchange (#242) from 12:01 a.m. through 6 a.m. on April 28. The six-hour closure is needed to safely allow crews to remove the overhead bridge beams on the Old York Road Bridge at milepost 243.2 in Fairview Township, York County.

The recommended detour for motorists traveling westbound is Interstate 283 (I-283) to Interstate 83 (I-83) to the Turnpike. Eastbound motorists should take I-83 to I-283 to get to the Turnpike. Alternate-route cards will be available to travelers at Harrisburg East and Harrisburg West interchanges during the closure. Expect higher traffic volumes on detour roads during the closure. Message boards will be placed to inform customers of the closure, and Highway Advisory Radio broadcasts at station 1640 AM also are being used to inform travelers.

Work schedules are subject to change based on weather conditions and other circumstances.

This work is part of the total reconstruction and widening of the Turnpike mainline to three lanes in each direction from milepost 242 to milepost 245. The project will result in an all-new highway facility built to modern design and construction standards. The expected completion date is the fall of 2016 at a cost of nearly $75 million.

This section between the Harrisburg East and Harrisburg West exits originally opened Nov. 20, 1950 and has become a busy commuter corridor. Each day, more than 33,000 vehicles (cars and trucks combined) travel this section of the Turnpike, which also serves as an alternate route for some who wish to avoid peak-period delays on Interstate 83.

Turnpike motorists can get up-to-date travel conditions by calling 866-976-TRIP (8747). This toll-free number gives audio advisories for the region in which you are traveling, including delays and closures. For a snapshot of conditions across the Turnpike, visit the Interactive Travel Map at www.paturnpike.com/webmap. An innovative smartphone app, “TRIP Talk,” streams audio advisories to iPhone and Droid users on America's First Superhighway. To download the free app, visit www.paturnpike.com/triptalk. Users do not have to create an account, register or sign up to use TRIP Talk. The app uses your phone's built-in GPS to stream nearby advisories.